


Tale of a Heart Halved

by SakuraWindChime



Series: Viktuuri Week [1]
Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Bittersweet, Day One, Falling In Love, Japanese Mythology & Folklore, Legend Prompt, Loosely Based on Hagoromo, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Tennin, Turned into AU, Victuuri Week 2018, spiritual being
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-31
Updated: 2018-01-31
Packaged: 2019-03-11 21:12:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,594
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13532637
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SakuraWindChime/pseuds/SakuraWindChime
Summary: Viktor is taking a well-deserved break, from the heavy title of being an ice skating legend, to be at peace deep within the mountains of Japan.With his seclusion, he never thought he would stumble upon a being of such beauty it was almost ethereal. Least of all did he expect to create a legend of love all of his own.





	Tale of a Heart Halved

The crashing of water filled the idyllic landscape with sound as Viktor drew toward its source, hoping to seek a brief respite and refreshment after hours of trekking. Makkachin bounded ahead and hopped over fallen boulders in their ascent, the constant wave of her tail indicating her excitement for their impending reprieve.

Viktor smiled to himself, delighted that his beloved poodle had been enjoying the nature retreat into the mountains just as much as he had been. Looking around the dense forest, of trees whose foliage reached high into the sky, he felt a sense of peace which his career had taken away from him. Skating, once upon a time, had brought him tranquillity, a desire to pursue life to its fullest, but in recent years he had become encased within the crystals of the ice rather than freely sliding upon it surface.

A legendary figure to be admired from a distance and exulted to perfection, rather than a human surrounded by the flaws he knew he possessed. He so desperately craved the warmth that came with the connection to others, but such a thing seemed to elude Viktor.

Makkachin barked, the sound almost drowned out by the noise of what must have been a waterfall close by, shifting Viktor’s attention down from the canopy of leaves to the thicket of pines in front of him. The poodle stood on her hind legs, leaning against a flaking trunk, pawing impatiently upward. Thinking she had found a bird or squirrel to chase Viktor chuckled to himself and paid little attention her behaviour, until a shimmer caught his eye.

Hung on a low branch was a robe of royal blue, the silk shining with the dappled light that filtered through the branches. Makkachin’s snout was just centimetres from touching the hem of a separate black sash, that had slipped off and was close to falling off its perch. Leaves and brittle twigs crumbled under his feet as Viktor walked forward, compelled to feel the rich material ripple beneath his fingers.

He reached up and repositioned the sash, a quiet word of appreciation leaving his lips at how soft the garment was to the touch. Gentle fingers moved on to the robe, caressing the blue down feathers that lined the collar, and hems, their light plumage fluttering with each exhale of breath. There was the rustle of Makkachin lowering herself to the ground, but Viktor was unable to find it within himself to take his gaze away from the beautiful clothing. He traced the detail of gold, purple, and green threads woven together to create an intricate brocade pattern of peacock feathers that covered the entire expanse of the robe.

Viktor had never seen clothing so exquisite in all his life. It seemed like it should have belonged to a different time period entirely, as if it had been transported straight out of an ancient Japanese artwork.

Movement beyond the tree flittered within his periphery. Viktor swept his attention away from the draped fabric to glance toward the pool of water he had been seeking. His mouth fell open at the sight that had been hidden by the encircling thicket.

In the middle of the crystalline water a figure twirled with a grace and poise Viktor had never before witnessed, even with his profession having introduced him to some of the most celebrated dancers in the world. Like a water nymph, every flick of its wrists and kick of its legs in the shallow water sent droplets spiralling around them through the air, its movements needing no sound accompaniment with the music their body was making all of its own.

Slightly tanned, broad shoulders and a muscular chest glistened as they moved. The man’s nakedness should have made Viktor turn away out of curtesy - the person obviously not having expected to be seen in the seclusion of the forest - but he found it impossible to avert his gaze. Viktor’s desire to watch was just as strong as his thirst for the water the man danced within.

His stare roamed to drink in every detail of the stunning man. It travelled up his flawless torso, reaching a face so serene - his eyes had closed - and lost to the feeling of his dance that Viktor’s breath stuttered in his throat. Against the backdrop of the cascading waterfall, the man with the pink flower in his hair appeared to be more ethereal than lifelike with his breath-taking beauty.

Viktor stepped out of the shadows thrown by the overhang of the trees, casting aside his wonder for the robe, to be closer to the being before him.

The man’s eyes opened on a turn, their gazes meeting briefly before the dancer’s movements faltered. His balance teetered for a moment until it eventually tipped and he fell into the pool, letting out a yelp as water splashed around him in his wake.

A horrified gasp left Viktor’s mouth before he rushed forward, uncaring about damaging his shoes, crashing through the water with hurried steps with Makkachin hot on his heels from the sudden excitement. By the time the pair reached the man, he had raised himself into a sitting position as he spluttered from the water that must have entered his mouth.

“Are you okay?” Viktor heaved, thankful that the man was at least breathing.

“I’m fine,” he panted, swiping soaked raven strands out of his eyes and over the top of his head.

The man reached for the pink lotus flower that floated beside him, placing its stem back behind his ear. Makkachin waded to the spot, sniffing at the stranger’s knee that stuck out of the water.

Viktor extended his right hand, hoping that offering an aid to stand would count as a form of apology. “I didn’t mean to startle you. Your dancing was very beautiful.”

He finally turned his face up to look at Viktor, his large copper eyes blinking owlishly and mouth agape as if surprised by his words. Up close the stranger’s features were even more striking, with his strong jaw and sculpted brows accentuated by his slicked back hair.

Once more Viktor was left breathless. How did such a man even exist?

All too soon the man turned his face away again, a wet hand coming up to rub the back of his neck.

“A-Ah, it’s okay, and thank you,” he stuttered, before slowly reaching up to accept Viktor’s hand.

Grip firm and weight placed on his heels, Viktor hauled the man to his feet. Water streamed from his raised body as Viktor reflexively placed his left hand on the small of the man’s back to steady him. His skin with slick beneath Viktor’s palm, the heat radiating from the lithe form within the crook of his arm strangely comforting.

There was a sense of intimacy in the little space between them, which had nothing to do with the stranger being naked; Viktor’s lips were just inches away from the gap between the man’s thick brows. Their chests rose and fell in tandem, each panting in the breath shared between them. The man shifted, leaning back slightly to peer up at Viktor with gorgeous eyes that sparkled with the reflection of the setting sun on the waters. A blush decorated the stranger’s cheeks, his jaw slack as they stared at each other.

Viktor had never been so enchanted.

Until a high-pitched bark sounded beside them and broke the spell.

Shock registered on the man’s features before he sprung away, putting a few steps of distance between them, Viktor’s arm falling listlessly to his side. Seeming to suddenly remember his nudity, the stranger threw his arms around his pectorals and lower region in an attempt to recover his modesty.

Mind still caught in the moment they had shared, the man’s heat lingering on his fingertips, Viktor blinked away the daze. Makkachin whined and Viktor stooped to pet the top of the poodle’s head to appease her, willing the wild beat of his heart to slow.

“Makka hates being left out,” Viktor chuckled shakily as a means of explanation.

He looked back to the stranger to see him standing stock still, the tension in the man’s form making him look like he was ready to bolt without a moment’s hesitation. And yet he remained transfixed, just staring at Viktor with his lower lip drawn between his teeth in disbelief.

Surely Viktor should have been the one in utter disbelief after witnessing that sublime performance.

Perhaps the man was just as intrigued by Viktor as he was with him. His lips quirked into a smile.

“Seeing as we seem to have skipped a few steps in our meeting,” Viktor spoke while his gaze drifted over to the man who tightened his arms round himself. “Let’s back track a bit.”

Viktor rose to stand straight, but took care not to look at the man.

“I’m Viktor,” he offered to the lapping water at the stranger’s shins.

The crashing of the waterfall in the distance echoed louder in the silence between them. From a flicker of a glance upward Viktor noticed the man open and close his mouth a few times, hesitating to answer.

It reminded him greatly of a fish and, with the setting, the thought made Viktor smile in amusement despite the charged atmosphere.

Then _finally_ , spoken softly. “Yuuri.”

Viktor felt his face light up with the force of his grin, raising his head to face the man and completely forgetting about _not_ looking at the man, _Yuuri_ , in all his glory.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

 

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone, this is the first Victuuri Week that I'm participating in and I'm so excited! I won't be posting a fic every day of the week, but I intend to do a few of them :)
> 
> This was originally going to be a one shot, but as per usual with my stories, it got completely out of hand so it will be three chapters instead XD
> 
> The story is loosely based on the Japanese legend of the Celestial Feather Robe, that was adapted into a popular Noh Theatre drama: Hagoromo. If you're interested in the play, you can read more about it [here](http://www.the-noh.com/en/plays/data/program_011.html)  
> I hope you enjoyed this prologue - I'd love to know what you think ^.^
> 
> Want to talk to me about fanfiction, anime, or just anything? Check out my social media:  
> [Twitter](https://twitter.com/SakuraWindChime)  
> [Tumblr](sakurawindchime.tumblr.com)  
> [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/sakurawindchime/)  
> 


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